How to turn your box into a Xvnc Terminal Server

Jeremy_Z · l33t Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 671 Location: Shanghai

Yes but I thought you had a problem with the howto. As i son't know how it works with xdmcp i can't help much.

But i doubt replacing Xvnc with gdm in the call made by xinetd would work. I would probably "add" gdm.
"Replace X with Xvnc in the gdm.conf. ", well maybe

Try, any of these changes are reversible, so you don't risk much.

tecknojunky · Posted: Thu May 06, 2004 9:54 pm Post subject:

No, no problems with the howto. I could just add gdm to a runlevel, but this box is rather slim and so it start X+gdm on a physical terminal for nothing (no monitor).

I f gdm is not started, i get only a grey X background in the remote screen. So I guess it's only a metter of knowing the mechanics that links xinetd, Xvnc, X and gdm.

On the basics, we know that gdm start X and Xvnc also start X. So, in the normal ways this howto, if xinetd start Xvnc and Xvnc start X (supposedly), I'm wondering howcome, it's gdm that appears on the remote console?

Like you said, you'd be tempted to add gdm instead of Xvnc into the xinetd config, then configure gdm.conf to start Xvnc instead of X. What I think will happen is that gdm will start on the physical screen.

I guess I'll have to try

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Jeremy_Z · l33t Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 671 Location: Shanghai

Is this possible to have gdm starting no X server at all ?

tecknojunky · Posted: Thu May 06, 2004 10:10 pm Post subject:

Jeremy_Z · l33t Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 671 Location: Shanghai

Don't know, is the X server started by gdm of any use since Xvnc is started when you connect with vncviewer ? Again i am not sure about how it worls so ..

tecknojunky · Posted: Thu May 06, 2004 10:24 pm Post subject:

Xvnc is an intermediary between the remote viewer and the real X. If you look at ~/.vnc/xstartup, you will see that eventualy, the real X is started. So Xvnc is not a replacement of X, it's more like a redirector of keyboard/mouse inputs and screen outputs over the network.

How gdm fits into this, that what's elude me for now.
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Jeremy_Z · l33t Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 671 Location: Shanghai

Yes but for each connection you make it starts X via Xvnc, so the X via gdm is useless unless for local connections.

tecknojunky · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 4:36 pm Post subject:

That's the problem. I did try to get this working by adding an xinetd entry for xdmcp. When I connect to the vnc server, it tries to contact the xdmcp server thrue port 711. xinetd catch that and starts gdm, which it will apear in the xvnc viewer.

The only problem is that gdm is too dumb to be only a xdmcp server. What I mean is that if I plug in a monitor, there is also an instance of gdm running on the physical terminal too.

I tried to make gdm to serve only to Xvnc, but it's too stuburn. The closest I came to, was that when gdm was called, it complained that X was already started (Xvnc).

So, I must conclude that this is not possible to do with gdm. A special greeter should be made for Xvnc only box. While at it, it should be tunneled thrue ssh.

In clear, gdm's main purpose is to be a local terminal greeter. The xdmcp for vnc is an hack around for a Xvnc's really really dumb implementation because it lacks any decent security features.
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vdboor · Posted: Mon May 10, 2004 5:21 pm Post subject:

javock · Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 4:11 am Post subject:

Hey there,
I had the grey X cursor screen problem, I was able to correct it. Now everytime I start a vnc session, I have a glimpse of the greeter and then the vnc client closes, I can see the processes running, and the display number incrments each time I try to reconnect. I'm using gdm, and trying to use XFCE4 and run out of ideas to try.

/etc/X11/xdm/xdm-config :

vdboor · Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 7:15 am Post subject:

Have you tried using a different vnc client? It almost sounds like your client crashes. I was also thinking about a firewall issue, but I don't exactly know how (because it seams to work very well for me)

Btw, if you're running gdm, you don't need to change the settings of xdm.
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javock · Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 3:40 pm Post subject:

DAWG98 · n00b Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 34

I tried the howto. Thanks lines for putting it together. However, when I execute vncwiever on my XP box to linux_box:82 I only get the grey screen. Alternatively, if I start vncviewer manually and then execute vncviewer to linux_box:1 it works.

I tried editing the xstartup; i.e., startkde &, I ensured and double and triple ensured that everything is entered as it should be, that programs are listening on the correct ports, etc (I spent over 14 hours trying to fix this), but still GREY.

So there are a few hypo's/questions that I think may help me find the solution (please be considerate as I am a n00b):

1. I am running KDE 3.2. Many files are duplicate under KDE 3.2 and X; i.e., I have more than one version of Xsession, Xwilling etc. How can I ensure that the right file is being called? What's Xvnc using?

2. In /root/.vnc/xstartup I commented the twm out and replaced with startkde...should it be something else; i.e., kdm?

3. What is the /$home/.Xresources for? I searched for this file to no avail. Is KDE no starting because this is missing?

4. I checked out this Howto http://www.openbrick.org/en/Members/tn/thinclient/Howto%20configure%20X%20and%20VNC
and it requires one to edit the font server...is that necessary here also?

5. Where does Xvnc log its prcgress?

Thanks for any comments in advance.

javock · Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 12:40 am Post subject:

OK, got tired...

I tried to use the vnc login in via ssh, then running, vncserver :# got the server spawned, now I connect using vncviewer localhost:# (I have a tunnel -L 590#:localhost:590#) and get twm PUAJ! but working. A few problems :
* fonts look UGLY, not only ugly, but characters without sense, missing, reversed... (yes, I have xfs running, no I didn't use -f font fifo, or whatever, I will try later)
* if i leave the server alone (only move mouse) everything OK! if I try to launch even an xterm, firefox or whatever the server closes...

Any clue?

Thanks.
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thorne · Apprentice Joined: 19 Sep 2002 Posts: 177

OK... I went through the tutorial. Here is my problem:

geforce · l33t Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 653 Location: Canada

i'm using KDE 3.2:

Moloch · Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 2:22 pm Post subject:

geforce

geforce · l33t Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 653 Location: Canada

Ok I founded it;

I setted XDPCM to

XDPCM=true

is it okay ?

Thanks alot
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tactless · Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 2:00 pm Post subject:

Any way to set the default DPI for vncserver? (For manual activation of vncserver, not inetd)
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nx12 · Apprentice Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 193

Somebody knows how to resume/suspend VNC sessions?
I need to run some GUI apps for a really long time on the remote computer and keep the vnc window open is a bit annoying, not saying that if I close it I'll be completely fscked?
I've seen a vnc session manager project but it requires patched client and has patches only for win32 clients. :roll:

I'll be glad to hear any suggestions.
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tomarsyd · n00b Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 7

After reading most of this thread, I'm wondering if it's required to have gdm/xdm/kdm/etc installed. When I boot my machine I prefer to get a text login and then run startx to get going in my window manager of choice. Can I still run vnc without having gdm/xdm/kdm/etc running?

Thanks.
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javock · Posted: Wed May 26, 2004 9:22 pm Post subject:

docbill · n00b Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 9

I too was not getting a login window. After studying the files, I found if I change the Xservers file to:

:0 local /usr/X11R6/bin/Xvnc

I also had to change the shell for nobody to /bin/bash. I tried a more restrictive shell, but that did not work. I also tried using a different account, i.e. 'xdmlogin', but that also did not work.

Now my only problem is once I login it tries to start kdm, even though I don't have kdm installed...

Bill

nx12 · Apprentice Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 193

Hm-m, the only way to resume/reconnect to running vnc sessions I've found is to enable autologin in gdm and put vncserver comand in the .xprofile of the user.. :roll:

Well, it's not elegant, but at least it works.. So at the end of all I can have a bulletproof Xsession. :roll:

I feel like to try later adding some kind of init script starting Xserver and Xvnc without gdm thingies.. If I get something interesting I'll write back.
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xiando · n00b Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Posts: 19 Location: EU

I've used this for quite a while and I was quite annoyed with this, out of the blue, stopped working (because I had recompiled XFree).

XFree must be compiled without IPv6 support. Xdmcp does not work if XFree is compiled with IPv6 support.